Player organ



July 31, 1934. F. MEQUMER 7 1,968,216

PLAYER ORGAN Filed Oct. 16, 1935 5 Slfjts-Shmet 1 f2? fif MUN/ER F. H. MEUNIER PLAYER ORGAN I Filed Oct. 16, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2! 1, 24 I, 2/ .7? I f 26 I ;7 f

gmmntcw Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES rarsur OFFICE PLAYER ORGAN Fred H. Meunier, Denver, 0010.

Application October 16, 1933, Serial No. 693,744

17 Claims. (01. 84-84) I roll.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, and highly efiicient mechanism for controlling the stops, shutters, couplers and other controls of the organ which will be controlled by single perforations in the player roll so that the first perforation will bring the mechanism to the on position, and the second perforation will bring it to the off position. This eliminates a long, impractical series of perforations in the player roll and accomplishes the same result with two single perforations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a player organ stop mechanism which can be adapted for either electrical or pneumatic valve controls.

A further object of the invention is to provide a note contact mechanism for roll actuated organs which will be simple in construction and positive in operation.

A still further object is to provide means for automatically bringing all of the organ stops,

selection to be next played.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eflicienoy. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a face elevation of a portion of a control box and contents, illustrating an adapta tion of this invention. In this view, various portions are broken away to illustrate the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough, taken on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating a portionof a typical player roll 'as employed with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a face view of a control box, illustrating a pneumatic adaptation of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail View of a ratchet or contact disc employed in the invention.

The various operating parts are housed in a control box 10, the face of which is closed by means of a frame 11 preferably supporting a clear glass window 12 thereover. The box 10, with its window 12, is, of course, air tight in construction so that the air for its interior may be partially exhausted through a vacuum pipe 13.

Note contacts 7 A series of note pallets 14 are positioned throughout the length of the box 10. The pallets 14 are hinged on a longitudinal hinge strip 15.

A pouch chamber 16 is formed beneath-each of the keyboards 14, each pouch chamber being covered with the usual flexible diaphragm 1'7. Each of the pouch chambers 16 is fed by a note tube 18 and is bled through a bleed port 19, as is usual in pouch construction.

Each of the pallets 14 carries a spring clip 20 adjustably secured thereto. Each spring clip 20 terminates in a contact bar 21 extending beyond the extremity of each pallet 14. The pallets are forced against the pouch diaphragms by means of pairs of spring wires 22. The wires 22 extend upwardly from the hinge strip 15 and slidably contact with the extremities of the contact bar 21. All of the wires 22 are connected together by means of a common buss wire 23.

An outward movement of the contact bars 21 closes the circuit between a series of note contact wires 24, which extend inwardly through one wall of the box 10 and through a suitable guide block 25. The outward movement of the keyboards is individually set and regulated by means of adjusting screws 26 provided with cushion pads 27. The contact wires 24 are, of course, connected to the valve magnets of the organs, a suitable rack 28 being provided for the connecting cable.

The pressure of the spring wires 22 is individually regulated by means of pressure screws 29 which are threaded through the hinge strip 15 into contact therewith. The note tubes 18 lead to their proper nipples 30 on the player tracker bar, a portion of which is indicated at 31. A section of a typical player roll is indicated at 32in Fig. 3. In this roll various note perforations are indicated at 33.

The action of the note perforations 33 on the pouches 16 is believed to be well understood. 110

Briefly, the partial vacuum in the contact box 10 has created, through the bleed ports 19 an equal vacuum in the pouch chambers 16, and the note tubes 18. As the perforations 33 pass over their respective nipples 30 they will admit air to the respective note tubes allowing this air to flow to the pouch chamber 16 for that note. The holes in the tracker bar are much larger than the bleed ports 19. Therefore the volume of admitted air overbalances the effect of the bleed ports and breaks the vacuum in the pouch chambers 16. This causes the diaphragms 17 to be forced outwardly into direct contact with their pallets 14.

The pressure of the diaphragms forces their pallets against the cushion blocks 27, and, in moving outwardly, the contact bars 21 are brought into contact 'with their series of note contact wires 24. The exact point at which the bar 21 contacts the wires 24 may be preset by means of an adjusting screw 34 as is usual in organ contacts.

It is customary with key and note contacts to have one of the contact wires 24 serve to supply current to the contact bar. This is objectionable, because it not only places a large amount of current in this one contact wire causing arcing and burning at the point of contact but also because it employs one of the contact wires 24 which could otherwise be employed as an instrument or note feed. In the present invention this is eliminated, since none of the contacts 24 carry the feed or current supply. The current is fed to the bar 21 through the spring wires 22 which also serve as springs to actuate the pallet 14. The spring wires 22 are in constant, slidable contact with the bar 24 so that they are self-cleaning and non-arcing at all times. It will also be noted that the spring wires are pressing hardest against the bars 21 at the time the contact is made with the contact wires 24. Thus we have the maximum contact during the current carrying period, an ideal condition.-

Control mechanism The mechanism for controlling the stops, ex-= pressions, couplers, etc., may also be positioned in the control box 10 below the pallets1'4. This mechanism consists of a series of rotary discs 35 each carrying a circular series of projecting ratchet, contact pins 36 and 37. Thepins 36 are relatively longer than the pins 3? and alternate therewith. For the sake of clearness in the illustration the longer pins 36 have been shown as solid black circles, whereas the shorter pins 37 are shown as open circles.

The discs 35 are intermediately rotated by means of plungers 38, the extremities of which are notched, as shown at 39, to receive the pins of the .disc 35. The plungers 38 are each connectedwith an individual diaphragm 40 covering a pouch chamber 41. The chambers 41 are pro-. vided with suitable bleed ports 42, and with adjusting screws 43 and contact pads 44 for presetting the amount of movement of the diaphragms 40. Each diaphragm 40 is constantly urged inwardly by means of 'a wire spring 45, which is secured to the plunger 38 and serves both to force it downwardly and to hold it against the pins 36 and 37. 7

The discs may have any desired even number of pins. As illustrated, each disc is provided with eight pins.-four short pins 37 and four long-pins 36. A pawl wire 46 and a contact wire 47 project over each disc 35-. The wires 46 and 47 are secured in a wood rail 48 with the contact wire 47 further forward than the pawl wire 46. The pawl wire 46 contacts both the long and short pins. The contact wire 47 contacts only the long pins. All of the ratchet wires 46 are connected with the buss wire 23. The contact wires 47 are connected with the magnets operating the stop valves, shutter valves, and other desired controls.

It will be noted that when one of the long pins 36 is at the top, the contact wire 47 swings be tween the long pins 36 and over the intermediate short pin 3'7 so as to make no contact with any of the pins. When the disc has been turned to bring one of the short pins 37 to the top, it will bring the adjacent long pin 36 into contact with the contact wire 37 thus closing the circuit between the two wires 46 and 47. The pawl wire 46 is bent at its extremity to extend between the pins, as illustratedin Fig. 1, so that it acts as a click or pawl to position and hold the disc 35 in intervals of Rotation is imparted by the plunger 38 which at each upward movement turns the disc the required 45.

The pouch chambers 41 are connected by means of control tubes to nipples 30 at one extremity of the tracker bar 31. The airflow through the control tubes 60 is controlled by perforations preferably adjacent one edge of the player roll 32. For each control tube there will be a first perforation 61 which will admit air to the pouch chamber 41 for that tube. This air actuates the diaphragm 40 to force its plunger 38 upwardly to rotate the disc 35 to the on posi tion, as shown in the middle disc of Fig. 1. This closes a contact between the wires 46 and 47 to actuate the control magnet to connect the appropriate instrument or set to the pallet contacts the key 24 or to actuate other controls. The disc remains in the closed position until a second perforation 62 again admits air to the same pouch chamber 41 to cause it to rotate its disc another 45 and bring the contact wires 46 and 47 to the open position as indicated by the left hand disc of Fig. 1.

It is of course desirable to have some automatic mechanism to bring all of the closed discs again to the -open position when the player roll has completed its playing so as to allow the next roll to reset its steps and expressions for the subsequent music. This is accomplished by means of a cancel bar 51. The cancel bar 51 is supported on spacer blocks 49 immediately in front of all the discs 35 by means of suitable supporting screws. The latter'screws pass through slotted holes 52 in the cancel bar so as to permit a limited longitudinal movement thereof.

The cancel bar 51 is provided with a shoulder member 53 opposite each of the discs 35; and with a suitable spring 54 which constantly pulls the cancel bar toward the left so as to urge the shoulder members 53 into contact with the disc pins.

The above construction operates as follows: the

player roll, in starting over the tracker bar 31 stops the admission of all air to the control box 10, allowing the interior of the box to be evacuated through the vacuum tube 13. This also draws the air from the pneumatic bellows 5'7 causer pins.

ing it to collapse. In closing, the bellows pushes the cancel bar 51 to the right so as to remove the shoulder member 53 from the paths of the pins 36 and 37. When the roll has been completed and rewinding is started, the vacuum in the box 10 is broken, thus allowing the bellows 5'7 to'expand, under the action of the spring 54, and move the cancel bar to the left. In moving to the left, the shoulders 53 contact any ofthe long pins 36 which-happen to be in their paths, that is, on all open discs, and rotate these pins to the bottom position thereby opening all closed contacts between the wires 46 and 47. As soon as a new roll is started and the air is partially evacuated from the box 10, the shoulder member 53 will be again moved out of the line of travel of the pins.

The above described construction is applicable to organs in which the stops, expressions, controls, etc, are operated by magnetic valves. The same principle is applicable to organs in which the controls are operated by pneumatic valves. Such an adaptation is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Pneumatic form In the pneumatic adaptation the same discs, pins, plungers, cancel bar, etc., are employed and the operation of the pouches or diaphragms is similar. In this form, however, the contact wires 46 and 47 are replaced by a stop pawl 63. The pawl 63 engages only the longer pins 36. It is provided with a notch 64 to receive one of the longer pins and with inclined surfaces at each side of the notch 64 which may rest between two of the long- The pawl 63 is constantly held against the pins by means of a hinge spring 65. A rocket 66 is pivoted at 67 over and in front of each of the discs 35. The rockers 66 have downwardly extending fangs 68, with which the upper extremities of the plungers 38 may contact and with a supporting pin 69 with which the pawl member 63 'may contact. A spring leaf '70 is secured on the top of the rocket 66 and may be adjusted thereon by means of a set screw 71. The spring 70 contacts with a leather washer 72 on the stem '73 of a typical pneumatic valve 74.

Let us assume that the pneumatic valve 17 is open as shown in the left hand of Fig. 4 and that one of the perforations 61 admits air to its chamber 41. This causes the diaphragm 40 to force the plunger 38 upwardly. In moving upwardly it rotates the disc 35 45 and simultaneously lifts, by means of the fang 68, the rocker 36, causing it to close the pneumatic valve 74. The pawl member 63 then swings to the right over one of the short pins 3'? and between two of the long pins 36. This brings its upper extremity beneath the supporting pin 69 so as to maintain the rocker 66 in the closed position until the perforation 62 again admits air to the chamber 41. When the latter occurs, the disc is again rotated 45 bringing the next long p'm opposite the notch 64 in the pawl 63 so as to move the pawl out of contact with the supporting pin 69 so as to allow the rocker 66 to drop and close the valve 74.

The glass Window 12 allows all of the mechanism to be viewed while in operation so that defects can be easily and quickly located. This is not possible with the usual opaque cover since removal of the cover immediately breaks the vacuum and renders operation impossible.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied,

within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent l. A circuit closer for organs comprising: a rotary member; circuit closing members carried by said rotary member; a pneumatically operated, reciprocating plunger acting to rotate said rotary member a fixed interval at each reciprocation; and contacts alternately opened and closed by said circuit closing members during the rotation of said rotary member.

2. A circuit closer for organs comprising: a rotary member; an annular series of pins projecting from said member, alternate pins in said series being relatively shorter than adjacent pins; a pneumatically operated reciprocating plunger acting to rotate said member a fixed interval at each reciprocation; a first contact engaging all of said pins; and a second contact engaging only the longer alternate pins so that said pins will alternately open and close the circuit between said contacts as said member rotates.

3. A circuit closer for organs comprising: a rotary disc; an annular series of long pins projecting from one face of said disc; a second series of short pins alternating with said long pins; a pneumatically-operated, reciprocating plunger engaging said pins so as to rotate said disc a fixed interval at each reciprocation; a pawl wire engaging all of said pins so as to hold said disc at the termination of each reciprocation; and a contact wire engageable only by said long pins so as to close a circuit therethrough with said pawl wire at 119 each alternate reciprocation of said plunger.

4. A circuit closer for organs comprising: a rotary member; circuit closing members carried by said rotary member; a pneumatically operated, reciprocating plunger acting to rotate said rotary member a fixed interval at each reciprocation; and contacts alternately opened and closed by said circuit closing members during the rotation of said rotary member; and a second pneumatically operated member adapted to rotate said rotary member at predetermined times to open said circuit.

5. A circuit closer for organs comprising: a rotary member; an annular series of pins projecting from said member, alternate pins in said series being relatively shorter than adjacent pins;

a pneumatically operated reciprocating plunger acting to rotate said member a fixed interval at each reciprocation; a first contact engaging all of said pins; 2. second contact engaging only the longer alternate pins so that said pins will alternately open and close the circuit between said contacts as said member rotates; and a second pneumatically operated member engaging the longer pins in said series t0 rotate said rotary member and open said circuit at predetermined times.

6. A circuit closer for organs comprising: a rotary disc; an annular series of long pins projecting from one face of said disc; a second series of short pins alternating with said long pins; a pneun1atically-operated, reciprocating plunger engaging said pins so as to rotate said disc fixed interval at each reciprocation; a pawl wire engaging all of said pins so as to hold said disc at the termination of each reciprocation; a contact wire engageable only by said long pins so as to close a circuit therethrough with said pawl wire at each alternate reciprocation of said plunger; a cancel bar positioned across said disc; a projection on 15c said cancel bar; and pneumatic means for actuating said cancel bar so as to bring said projection into contact with one of said long pins to rotate said disc to the opencircuit position.

7. A control mechanism for player organs comprising: an air tight box; means for exhausting the air from said box; a disc mounted for rotation in said box; pins projecting from said disc; a pouch chamber formed in the inner wall or" said box; a diaphragm closing said chamber from said box; a plunger mounted on said diaphram and contacting said pins; contacts positioned so as to be opened and closed by said pins; and a conduit connecting said chamber with the tracker bar of said organ so that air admitted through said tracker bar will cause said diaphragm to actuate said plunger to rotate said disc to make or break the circuit between said contacts.

8. A control mechanism for player organs comprising: a rotary member; projections on said rotary member; a pneumatically operated reciprocating plunger contacting said projections so as to rotate said member a fixed interval at each reciprocation; a pawl to stop said member at the termination of said interval; a rocker actuated by the movements of said plunger; anda pneumatic valve actuated in consequence of the movements of said rocker.

9. A control mechanism for player organs com prising: a rotary member; projections on said rotary member; a pneumatically operated reciprocating plunger contacting said projections so as to rotate said member a fixed interval at each reciprocation; a pawl to stop said member at the termination of said interval; a rocking member positioned to be raised by the latter, said pawl acting to support said rocker in the raised position during certain positions of said projections and release said rocker during other positions; and a pneumatic valve actuated by said rocker.

10. In a player organ of the type having a player roll passing over air intakes in a tracker bar; means for actuating a pneumatic valve in consequence of the opening of certain of said intakes comprising: a vacuum box; a pouch chamber in said box; a diaphragm covering said chamber; a conduit communicating between said chamber and an air intake in said tracker bar; a plunger mounted on said diaphragm; a rotary disc; an annular series of alternating long and short pins projecting from said disc, said plunger contacting said pins so as to rotate said disc at fixed intervals; and a hinged rocking member positioned to be swung upon its pivot by the movement of said plunger, said rocking member contacting with, and actuating said pneumatic valve.

11. In a player organ of the type having a player roll passing over air intakes in a tracker bar; means for actuating a pneumatic valve in consequence of the opening of certain of said intakes comprising: a vacuum box; a pouch chamber in said box; a diaphragm covering said chamber; a conduit communicating between said chamber and an air intake in said tracker bar; a plunger mounted on said diaphragm; a rotary disc; an annular series of alternating long and short pins projecting from said disc, said plunger contacting said pins so as to rotate said disc at fixed intervals; a hinged rocking member positionedto be swung upon its pivot by the movement of said plunger, said rocking member contacting with, and actuating said pneumatic valve; and means for supporting said rocking member at predetermined times so as to hold said pneumatic valve open comprising: a pawl positioned to engage the longer pins of said disc and to swing over the shorter pins thereon; and a supporting surface on said rocker engaged by said pawl when the latter is over a shorter pin and to be released by said pawl when against a longer pin.

12. In a player organ of the type having a player roll passing over air intakes in a tracker bar; means for actuating a pneumatic valve in consequence of the opening of certain of said in takes comprising: a vacuum box; a pouchchamber in said box; a diaphragm covering said chamber; a conduit communicating between said chamber; and an air, intake in said tracker bar; a plunger mounted on said diaphragm; a rotary disc; an annular series of alternating long and short pins projecting from said disc, said plunger contacting said pins so as to rotate said disc at fixed intervals; a hinged rocking member positioned to be swung upon its pivot by the movement of said plunger, said rocking member contacting with, and actuating said pneumatic valve; means for supporting said rocking memher at predetermined times so as to hold said pneumatic valve open comprising; a pawl positioned to engage the longer pins of said disc and to swing over the shorter pins thereon; a supporting surface on said rocker engaged by said pawl when the latter is over a shorter pin and to be released by said pawl when against a longer pin; and a second pneumatically operated member positioned to engage the longer pins to cause said pawl to release said rocking member at the termination of a musical selection.

13. Means for actuating va series of control valves in a player organ comprising: a series'of rotary members, there being one rotary member for each valve; a pneumatically operated plunger for each rotary member; said plungers arranged to reciprocate in consequence of perforations in a player roll and to rotate said rotary members a fixed interval at each reciprocation; a control valve operating mechanism actuated in consequence of each interval of rotation of said rotary member; a cancel member extending adjacent the rotary members of said series; a projecting surface on said cancel member at each rotary member; and means for moving said cancel member longitudinally so as to cause said surfaces to rotate said rotary members to their normal positions.

14. Means for actuating a series of control valves in a player organ comprising: a series of rotary discs; an annular series of alternating short and long pins projecting from each disc; a pneumatically actuated reciprocating plunger for each disc positioned to contact the pins thereof and rotate said disc a fixed interval at each reciprocation; means for actuating'a pneumatic valve as each of the long pins reaches a certain predetermined position; a cancel bar extending adjacent all of said discs; a shoulder on said cancel bar opposite each disc; and means for moving said bar longitudinally so as to bring said shoulders into contact with the long pins resting at said predetermined positions and rotate said discs to their normal positions.

15. A contact closer for player organs comprising: a vacuum box; means for exhausting the air from said box; a series of pouch chambers in said box; a diaphragm covering each of said chambers; a hinged pallet over each of said diaphragms; a contact bar extending laterally of each pallet;

a conducting spring member bearing against each contact bar so as to carry current to the latter and so as to force said pallet against said diaphragm; conduits for individually admitting air to each chamber in consequence of perforations in a player roll; and a series of contacts, arranged to be closed by each contact bar.

16. A contact closer for player organs comprising: a hinged pallet; an expansible diaphragm below said pallet; a spring clip mounted on said pallet; a contact bar carried by said clip and extending laterally of said pallet; a spring wire conductor extending lengthwise of said pallet and pressing against said contact bar so as to urge said pallet against said diaphragm; and a series of contact wires contacted by said contact bar.

17. A contact closer for player organs comprising: a hinged pallet; an expansible diaphragm below said pallet; a spring clip mounted on said pallet; a contact bar carried by said clip and extending laterally of said pallet; a spring wire conductor extending lengthwise of said pallet and pressing against said contact bar so as to urge said pallet against said diaphragm; a series of contact wires contacted by said contact bar; and means for regulating the tension in said spring wire.

FRED H. MEUNIER. 

